Hekla Volcano

The queen of Iceland

Hekla is situated in South Iceland. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland with over twenty eruptions since 874. Eruptions could last for a few days or longer than a year spewing out magnificent volumes of lava. Over 10% of the tephra created in Iceland during the last 1000 years flowed from Hekla.

Hekla – The Queen of Iceland

Hekla erupted most recently in 1991 and 2000. Volcanologists say that pressure measurements within the magma chambers under the mountain are currently higher than they were then. No one knows when the next eruption will occur, though it could certainly be said that circumstances are ripening!

In 1159 a huge eruption hurled 7.3 cubic meters of Hekla lava into the atmosphere, cooling the climate around Europe and interfering with growing cycles. Traces of volcanic rock from this eruption have even been found in Scottish peat bogs. In the middle ages, when its catastrophic power was feared all over Europe, Hekla was often called “The Gateway to Hell”.

The volcano mountain, Hekla, is also sometimes known as the “Queen of Iceland”. It is situated in the scenic Fjallabak mountain area. A hike to Hekla’s summit (1491 m) is placed on top on many bucket lists.

A day tour from Reykjavík is the perfect way to explore Hekla and the glorious mountain scenery around it. On a beautiful clear day, you are able to view Hekla from the South Coast and route 1. For those who would like to explore the volcano from a different angle, with a 4×4 car, you can get an even better view of the scenery from the route to Landmannalaugar. Remember to look out the window when going on one of our Landmannalaugar and Laugavegur hiking or trekking tours.

Where is Hekla located?

Hekla is located in a remote area between road number 26, the F210 mountain road and the Friðland að Fjallabaki Nature Reserve, about 122 km from Reykjavík. The only way to get really close is to follow hiking trails – joining an organized tour is recommended. Other attractions in the area are Hvollsvöllur (61.6 km), Selfoss (73.2 km) and Geysir (106 km).